12 February 2019
A Little Shoulder Pain
Psalm 61:2-3 (NLT)
I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety, for you are my safe refuge...
When I was in my 30s and would see the doctor for my yearly check up, whenever he’d ask me if I was stressed, I would always say, “no.” It sounded weak to me to answer otherwise. After all, I’m a Christian, I trust Jesus, why would I be stressed?
Turns out I answered that question wrong for a decade. Yes, I am stressed. We all are. If you have other humans in your home, you are stressed. I have a house to take care of, a husband to encourage, four kids to raise, and a dog. Yes, I am stressed everyday.
Yesterday, I woke up with a really sore shoulder. I was fine the day before, but it sure felt like I suffered some sort of injury when I woke up, so I visited the chiropractor. I got massaged and adjusted, and it helped, and I asked her why I would wake up with an injured shoulder out of the blue like that, and she said, “stress.” Seriously?
But I already know I’m stressed, and I give Jesus my overwhelmed and anxious thoughts every morning. I already know what to do about stress; I have amazing Bible verses about it, why is my shoulder getting involved?
Stress pops in without warning, and even though my head and my heart know what to do, my physical body caught the stress too...
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7 NLT)
I noticed that my heart and mind are covered, but there’s no promise here for my physical body. That’s because God’s brand of peace isn’t dependent upon my physical circumstances. And though I receive real relief from my Faithful Savior, my aches and pains serve as a great reminder to keep leaving my anxieties with HIM today.
By the way, there is a promise about our physical bodies; God makes us strong even when we’re not...
Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
(2 Corinthians 12:8-10 NLT)
Dear God,
Thank you that no matter how I am physically feeling, I am not overwhelmed by stress because I have found your promise to bring me your peace everyday to be absolutely true, and I just can’t thank you enough. Thank you for making me strong yesterday and helping me accomplish what needed to get done even though my shoulder really hurt. That was a miracle you did for me. Thank you! Thank you for showing me how to trust you and not be overwhelmed by my family, our home, our jobs and even this divisive political climate we live in. Thank you for a little shoulder pain yesterday reminding me to cling to you even more. You are so faithful, and I just can’t thank you enough, and I pray in your Son’s name, amen.
A Little Shoulder Pain
Psalm 61:2-3 (NLT)
I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety, for you are my safe refuge...
When I was in my 30s and would see the doctor for my yearly check up, whenever he’d ask me if I was stressed, I would always say, “no.” It sounded weak to me to answer otherwise. After all, I’m a Christian, I trust Jesus, why would I be stressed?
Turns out I answered that question wrong for a decade. Yes, I am stressed. We all are. If you have other humans in your home, you are stressed. I have a house to take care of, a husband to encourage, four kids to raise, and a dog. Yes, I am stressed everyday.
Yesterday, I woke up with a really sore shoulder. I was fine the day before, but it sure felt like I suffered some sort of injury when I woke up, so I visited the chiropractor. I got massaged and adjusted, and it helped, and I asked her why I would wake up with an injured shoulder out of the blue like that, and she said, “stress.” Seriously?
But I already know I’m stressed, and I give Jesus my overwhelmed and anxious thoughts every morning. I already know what to do about stress; I have amazing Bible verses about it, why is my shoulder getting involved?
Stress pops in without warning, and even though my head and my heart know what to do, my physical body caught the stress too...
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7 NLT)
I noticed that my heart and mind are covered, but there’s no promise here for my physical body. That’s because God’s brand of peace isn’t dependent upon my physical circumstances. And though I receive real relief from my Faithful Savior, my aches and pains serve as a great reminder to keep leaving my anxieties with HIM today.
By the way, there is a promise about our physical bodies; God makes us strong even when we’re not...
Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
(2 Corinthians 12:8-10 NLT)
Dear God,
Thank you that no matter how I am physically feeling, I am not overwhelmed by stress because I have found your promise to bring me your peace everyday to be absolutely true, and I just can’t thank you enough. Thank you for making me strong yesterday and helping me accomplish what needed to get done even though my shoulder really hurt. That was a miracle you did for me. Thank you! Thank you for showing me how to trust you and not be overwhelmed by my family, our home, our jobs and even this divisive political climate we live in. Thank you for a little shoulder pain yesterday reminding me to cling to you even more. You are so faithful, and I just can’t thank you enough, and I pray in your Son’s name, amen.
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